Drexel-SDP GK-12 LESSON
To Build or Destroy?
Subject Area(s)
Science and Technology
Lesson Title
To Build or Destroy?
Grade Level
7 (6-12)
Time Required
50 mins
Summary
While many engineers can point out features of hyped electronics that stem from
engineering advances to provide a concept-to-application bridge, more persuasive examples are
rooted in United States history. This lesson is based upon video clips that show how engineering
– and the disastrous pitfalls that come with them – have shaped the Engineering profession and
its contributions to United States’ military forces. Though intended as an introductory lesson to
engage student, portions of this lesson may serve well as a lead-in for other lessons and
activities.
Engineering Connection
Most Research and Development (R&D) operations in the United States are funded by
government projects, particularly those related to military-related tasks. American scientific and
technological advances during decisive periods of war have shaped and propelled the United
States to be the world power it is today. The “Engineering Disasters” clips used as supporting
materials not only step through instances of engineering related to World War II and the Cold
War, but also show the main difference between “Engineering” and “Science,” in that
Engineering requires innovation based on observations to expand the current range of
technology. By-products of innovation are not always positive, or expected, and technological
progress during these periods are largely due to Engineers’ experimentation and persistence.
Among other things, students may thank military R&D for the role-player action video
games currently produced for gaming consoles – ground forces used their precursors as warfare
training exercises the way NASA and the Air Force use flight simulators. Thermal imaging is
another technology initially reserved for military use, though by 1999-2000 Cadillac had plans to
use it as a night vision feature (which was later deemed as distractive) and its latest use has been
identifying air leaks to determine where to lay (or spray) insulation for residential applications.
Keywords
research and development, R&D, innovation, military, World War II, WWII, Cold War, NASA,
space, rocket, Navy, submarine
Educational Standards
 PA Science:
o 3.1.7 – Unifying themes
o 3.2.7.B – Apply process knowledge to make and interpret observations
Learning Objectives
After this lesson, students should be able to:
 Identify ways that the United States used technology to their advantage
 Relate the role of engineering to technological developments and problems related to
technical oversights or unexpected conditions
 Combine historical knowledge (particularly at the high-school level) with engineering
perspective presented in the video clip
 Hypothesize possible outcomes for the situations presented if:
o technology was not developed in support of military operations
o the United States lacked an educated, technologically-literate group to work on
developing applications of interest to national security
Introduction / Motivation
Start off with introducing yourself and your title. For the purpose of working within the
GK-12 program, I find it important to state the reason why you’re there – you’re not a teacher,
but the current “expert” in the K-12 classroom who is going to enhance the curriculum.
Complete any surveys gauging impact or students’ knowledge of engineering before the lesson.
Many of you are probably unsure of what I mean when I talk about engineering (train
conductors, auto mechanics, and the general politically-correct term for those involved in
maintenance-related jobs are common misconceptions), but it’s easier to show the impact of
engineering than to explain what constitutes the engineering discipline.
There are several shows that currently air on the Discovery and History channels, and
perhaps you’ve flipped past them. One show, Modern Marvels: Engineering Disasters, sets a
objective, respectful tone that shows how engineering advances involve more factors than a will
to “build things.” Engineering advances can improve our quality of life or technological
abilities, but at the same time, they can magnify the destruction encountered during unexpected
(or previously untested) situations. The following Modern Marvels: Engineering Disasters clip
shows several clips, the first four of which cover historical instances of engineering in World
War I (Chauchat), World War II (Liberty Ships), and the Cold War (Space Program, U.S.S.
Tenosa).
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Lesson Background & Concepts for Teachers
There are particular points for certain clips.
1. Space Program: Rocket-building pioneers used quantities of highly explosive reactants
(liquid oxygen, O2) which were not understood at the time (can relate to Chemical
Engineering). As explained in the video, the alloys used to house the metal rockets
sometimes melted under the intense heat due to the rocket’s explosives. This relates to
the metallurgy of the materials used, which affects decision-making for proper usage of
engineering materials today.
2. Chauchat: One of the most striking things to be learned from the clip is the fact that
military leaders may not be in control of all military decisions, just as scientists and
engineers are not in control of governmental decisions regarding scientific and
technological issues. However, engineers and scientists can play a role in shaping public
and military policy. The way the Chauchat was made also contributed to its disastrous
use - parts were not interchangeable, and the design was not durable. Many products are
designed to be mass-produced with identical components, as prescribed by design and
manufacturing engineers. This extends products’ service life and limits replacement cost
for items subject to wear-and-tear.
3. U.S.S. Tenosa: The story of the Tenosa is reminiscent of the plot in The Hunt for Red
October, with attack submarines opposing others carrying long-range missiles. Nuclear
submarines were an emerging technology used for our national defense. As explained in
the clip, frozen-over debris screens on the air tanks prevented the submarine from
“blowing.” In addition to a possible discussion about pressure (in both air and water), the
loss of the Tenosa demonstrates the importance of testing in environments similar to the
operational environment.
4. Liberty Ships: The widespread use of a new technology, welding, came to play in the
mass production of ships. Metallurgy again played a role in an engineering disaster,
since the frigid waters of the Atlantic made the welded metal brittle. The change in the
mechanical properties of the steel, induced by temperature, contributed to the overall
catastrophic failure of the ships.
In each of these examples, it’s important to point out that problems were diagnosed from an
original model (or re-tested on a duplicate model), leading to an explanation for the failure
and/or eventual engineering success.
Associated Activities
Jeff White et al. “Strawkets and Weight.”Available <
http://teachengineering.org/view_activity.php?url=http://www.teachengineering.org/collecti
on/cub_/activities/cub_rockets/cub_rockets_lesson03_activity2.xml&rights=true>.
This activity ties in well with the idea of a rocket as an “inverted pendulum.” Students can
change the weight distribution and balance the strawket to find the center of mass.
Lesson Closure
Discuss results for “strawket” activity.
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Additional Multimedia Support
Lesson_ToBuildOrDestroy_Media.zip contains these files:
1of5 Modern Marvels Engineering Disasters 2.mp4, original video location
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3AgYRb8x86s
2of5 Modern Marvels Engineering Disasters 2.mp4, original video location
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqT5D-Kf88k
3of5 Modern Marvels Engineering Disasters 2.mp4, original video location
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b_riIvu2hE
4of5 Modern Marvels Engineering Disasters 2.mp4, original video location
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2BD1JdZXHg
5of5 Modern Marvels Engineering Disasters 2.mp4, original video location
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW51b5HibVQ
Owner
Drexel University GK-12 Program
Contributors
John C. Fitzpatrick, Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Drexel University
Copyright
Copyright 2008 Drexel University GK-12 Program. Reproduction permission is granted for nonprofit educational use.
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Name:_______________________________________
Space Program
1. Challenges of the space program included (check all that apply).
□ Knowledge of combustible materials used as fuels
□ Knowledge of metal alloys housing rockets
□ Lack of systems to guide and control rockets
□ Too many knowledgeable people participating in design and testing
2. von Braun moved from _______________ to the United States to work with Robert
Goddard on the space program. He could have worked with another participant in the
Cold War, ______________.
3. Over 3 ____________________ dollars were lost when the Titan rockets malfunctioned
on 3 separate launch attempts.
The Chauchat
4. Selection of the Chauchat as a weapon in WWI was done by _____________ leaders.
a. Engineering
b. Military
c. Political
d. Entertainment
5. The U.S. military’s problems included (check all that apply)
□ A cutout portion on the magazine that allowed dirt and water inside the weapon
□ Non-standardized manufacturing
□ Poor workmanship and material
□ Extreme kickback
6. The Browning automatic rifle was withheld from overseas war to keep it out of
______________________ hands.
USS Thresher
7. The currency in submarine warfare is _____________ .
8. The Thresher was a nuclear attack sub, designed to destroy “Boomers.” The metal was
___________ together.
a) Welded
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b) Riveted
c) Glued
USS Thresher, continued
9. Though the quality of the welds was in question, the Navy tested a situation of blowing
the compressed air tanks in the Tenosa and found that a screen __________ _________,
making it impossible for the sub to “blow.”
Liberty Ships
10. True or False: Liberty ships were America’s solution for fighting two wars across two
oceans at the same time.
11. A Kaiser ship could be built in ______ days. They could be built so quickly because they
were ________________ together.
12. As a result of metallurgy tests, what was found to happen if the ships were in conditions
similar to the frigid waters of the Arctic ocean?
a) Welds lost their strength
b) The low grade steel became extremely brittle
c) The weakened steel intensified strain on the welds
d) All of the above
e) a and b
f) b and c
Andrea Doria
13. A _______ cent lightbulb illuminating the __________ setting of the radar screen could
have made the crash between the Andrea Doria and the Stockholm avoidable.
Hartford Civic Center
14. The advanced space truss roof design was calculated using a _______________.
15. True or False: The failure of the roof design was attributed to incorrect computer
calculations.
St. Francis Dam
16. William Mulholland used a dam-and-reservoir system to transport water across California
to Los Angeles. The dam gave way because the ground became ________________ with
water, causing a landslide that carried the dam with it.
Northeast Blackout
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17. True or False: Engineering failures multiplied in the power grid only because a faulty
relay switch had not been upgraded.
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